Reports indicate that Twitch has been restricting registrations from Israel and Palestine for more than a year

Since October 7, 2023, it appears that Twitch has been preventing new user registrations from Israel and Palestine.

According to information from 404 Media, individuals attempting to join the platform from these areas have been met with errors during phone and email verification processes.

Twitch addressed this issue on social media, explaining the temporary halt in email verification sign-ups in these regions was a move to deter uploading of violent content linked to recent events and ensure user safety.

"Sign-ups were never halted, and registrations from the areas did continue," the company stated. They further explained that the reactivation of email verification in these regions was unintentionally overlooked.

"We apologize for the oversight and any resulting misunderstandings," they said. "The issue has been corrected, and email verification is now available for all impacted users."

Twitch also responded to concerns about whether its policies apply universally across its platform, emphasizing its commitment to consistently enforcing rules and reviewing content to take necessary actions.

However, 404 Media reported that when they attempted to create an account from Israel through a VPN, the attempt was unsuccessful with both the phone and email methods.

Twitch has previously dealt with issues regarding inappropriate content. In 2022, a mass shooting in Buffalo, New York was livestreamed on Twitch, prompting the platform to take strong measures to prevent the video's distribution, including removing content or accounts that shared it.

Similarly, in 2019, a shooter in Halle, Germany broadcast his acts on Twitch, but the video was promptly flagged and removed within half an hour.